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February 13, 2013

Alchemy's Juniper

I told you there was a huge amount of yarn arriving over the next few weeks, and I'm not going to disappoint! Today you'll find new colors and restocks of Juniper Sock from Alchemy Yarn of Transformation in semi-solid elements and variegated colorways. Alchemy didn't release a sock yarn until nearly five years ago, and when they finally did it did not disappoint. The 100% merino yarn is a pleasure to knit, and for a hand dyed yarn it really holds up nicely.

I have the two socks above on display at the store. The dark one, Underwater Moonlight (Monkey pattern), has never been washed or worn. The light, Vintage Jade (Nutkin pattern), has been worn, machine washed and accidentally machine dried and I swear you can't see a difference between them. The colors are still vibrant, and the stitch definition is just as nice as the sock that's never seen any use.

Paper Crane

Yes, the cost of these 50g skeins are higher than you might be used to seeing, but it's definitely worth the knit.

Green Plum

Many of you have been waiting for restocks and had special color requests, and those are all now on the website. If you are considering this yarn, I do recommend placing an order in the near future because I have the prices currently set to last year's cost, and this year it has gone up 15%. So order now and you'll still get the lesser price of 16.50 or 17.50 per skein, depending on semi-solid or variegated colorways.

Dark Star

Here's what Alchemy has to say about their process:

The first touch, the initial glimpse of Alchemy Yarns of Transformation tells you we are passionate about everything we do. Combining time-honored Fine Art techniques, the highest quality fibers available worldwide, and a reverence for Nature’s palette, we create yarns – and thereby opportunities for creative expression that transcend the typical. Pleasing the senses, soothing the soul – we strive for nothing less than the transformative moment in art and life.

Nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of Sonoma County, our Northern California studios and farm blend with the surrounding orchards and vineyards. Here in this natural setting our “work family” practices the art of creating exquisite hand paint yarns. Each skein is thoughtfully and artistically painted, then steamed over an open fire. We hang our yarns from bamboo rods suspended across our land thereby allowing each skein to be dried by the cooling breezes of the Pacific Ocean. We believe that our commitment to living life to its fullest – to recognizing health and healing and love and light in every breath – is captured in each skein of yarn we make. By creating Alchemy Yarns of Transformation with such intent, we trust this beauty is given over to you when you choose Alchemy in support of your creative expression.

It takes a village to make beautiful handpaint yarn -- but many villages are needed to make truly mindful fiber.

Comments

This is probably my very favorite sock yarn. I knit socks for my middle grand (who loves green) using the special sock club color way "Summertime Blues" & he absolutely loved them. I just wish I'd had 2 skeins if it - a gorgeous, vibrant color way. And, not only did those socks stand up to the rigors of being machine washed & dried, they withstood shoeless wear of a little boy who loves to slide across hardwood floors in sticking feet. And it's such a pleasure to knit with - elastic, squishy, springy yarn that just comes to life as it's being knit.